First time trip -- itinerary suggestions?

Hi everybody,

Thank you for taking the time to read this and provide any comments, feedback, etc. This forum has been an invaluable resource. I am headed to Japan for 20 days over the second half of May. I'll be doing the first 10 or so days solo and then my wife will be joining me for the last 10 days, which we plan on splitting between Tokyo/Nikko and Kyoto/Nara. I want to see the culture (temples, castles, museums, architecture, etc.) but am also really interested in food and drink. To that end, below is my rough itinerary (I fly into Narita and will have the 21 days JR pass):

Days 1-3: Kanazawa (I land at Narita at 2:20 pm--is getting to Kanazawa that day going to be rough? better to spend night in Tokyo and head off early next morn?)

Days 4-5: Takayama

Days 6-7: Hiroshima

Days 8-10: Osaka

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, comments, etc. regarding where to go, how to stay. I had wanted to see Fukuoka for the street food scene as well but I think I would need to cut something (Kanazawa/Takayama perhaps) to make it worthwhile.

Thank you!

You probably don't need three days in Osaka; there's not that much to see in my opinion. Most people spend just one day there; if you wanted to do USJ as well you could spend an extra day. Peach, a low cost air carrier, operates flights between Osaka and Fukuoka for 2490 yen one way - maybe that could be an option for a day trip?

Getting to Kanazawa on the day your arrive should be fine now that the Hokuriku shinkansen is in operation, but check the shinkansen times before making any decisions (use Hyperdia - hyperdia.com/en).

Days 1-3: Kanazawa (I land at Narita at 2:20 pm--is getting to Kanazawa that day going to be rough? better to spend night in Tokyo and head off early next morn?)

You can reach Kanazawa before night fall or just as the has set. Depends on train transfers and immigration. Either way sitting on a shinkansen for hours on end is a good way to sleep off any jetlag. Since Kanazawa is the terminal station you wouldnt have to worry about sleeping past your stop. Kanazawa also has some night spots.

Days 4-5: Takayama
Any plans for Shirakawa-go?
Or an onsen?

Days 6-7: Hiroshima
Spend at least a full day and night here, since you have the time.

Days 8-10: Osaka
A day or/and a night in Osaka would be good. You can do it as a side trip from Kyoto when your wife arrives. Kyoto has little in terms of night activities.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, comments, etc. regarding where to go, how to stay. I had wanted to see Fukuoka for the street food scene as well but I think I would need to cut something (Kanazawa/Takayama perhaps) to make it worthwhile.

Fukuoka is interesting for the food but not so much for the city. If you have a JR Pass, you can travel there without extra costs for a night out from Hiroshima. Just remember to take the last train back to Hiroshima!

Day 1: personally I'd do as you plan, and go straight to Kanazawa. Air travel is always tiring, and, for me, the extra bit of train journey is just fine. I'd rather get all my travelling done in one go, then wake up in the town I want to visit.

Maybe be realistic though, and accept that your first couple of days might be at a slower pace than usual as you get over any jet lag...

Is there anything specifically that you wish to do in Kanazawa on days 1-3? If not then I would recommend cutting out one of those days, add an extra day onto your stay in Hiroshima and then do Fukuoka as a day trip (or half day trip) from Hiroshima. The shinkansen ride takes an hour which is why I suggested that you consider that option as a possibility.


During your stay in Osaka have you considered doing a day trip to Himeji & Kobe? Both locations are wonderful and can easily be done as a day trip from Osaka.

Personally, I think there's LOADS to do both in and around Kanazawa.

THANK YOU very much for the replies. They are incredibly helpful as I continue to think through my route. To answer your specific questions, (1) I am not currently planning on stopping in Shirakawa-go, (2) I think I'll forgo an onsen until my wife's and my stay at a ryokan for a couple nights in Kyoto, (3) I have plans to visit Himeji and to do a day trip to Kobe, time/interest permitting.

My current thinking is to cut out Kanazawa/Takayama and save them for a separate trip where I can give them more time (along with the Noto peninsula). I generally prefer to not bounce around a lot when I travel and feel as though adding them will make the time more hectic and less enjoyable (maybe I'm wrong).

So, I plan on spending the night I arrive in Tokyo and then leave for Hiroshima first thing the next morning. I'll spend a couple days in Hiroshima (day trip to Miyajima), a couple in Fukuoka (day trip to Dazaifu), visit Himeji, and then a couple days in Osaka with a day trip to Kobe. This may also give me time to go eat pork and shochu in Kagoshima and udon in Takamatsu.

One last question. I know it's been asked but I always like to get answers in the present day--is it generally fairly easy to make accommodations as you go along or should I book everything in advance?

Thanks again!

If you are flying long haul into Japan, it'd be better to take it easy your first day and not try and paint the town red in Kanazawa. If you have the energy, you can see some place in Tokyo, since it never sleeps, otherwise take a nice hot bath and throw back a few drinks to relax. Or your second idea of putting off Kanazawa for a future trip works well too - as said, there is indeed a lot in the area.
Two days to see Hiroshima City and Miyajima are fine. Get an early start to see Miyajima, and if you can, see the shrine at high tide and walk out on the beach to touch the big torii at low tide.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-iCNZ6AdsKGUB-HPKNxP1...
Don't miss the Daishoin Temple - it is in many ways one of the very best sights on the island. You actually have the option to see many other great places too. Iwakuni is just a stone's throw from Miyajima, and the iconic bridge and mountaintop castle are very enjoyable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0COOZXi66mM
Another good place is Onomichi, with its temple tour and even better is the Kosanji Temple which is simply mind blowing in its color and detail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Q5EjEOXI8
Takamatsu is really one of the most interesting cities on Shikoku. While the Sanuki Udon may be famous, the real treat is the Ritsurin Garden, and you should not miss it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afx-Ju52FiY
And if you're going all the way there, along the way is Kotohira, with one of the best half day hikes you'll ever take in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ley9rVIewoQ

Plus if you wanted to allocate a couple of days for Kyushu, they would not be wasted time at all. Along the way in Yamaguchi is Akiyoshido, which is a 300 million year old limestone cave 1km deep with an underground river and giant caverns. It's truly a marvel and one of Japan's best yet largely unknown sights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqIKC9S8TFQ

Fukuoka has a number of good places to see if you just look. Dazaifu is OK, but even better is the Nanzoin Temple about 20 minutes by train from Hakata Station. A lot of other temples may turn into a blur by the end of your trip, but not this place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT4VQFmHFyM
Inside the city are 3 beautiful tradition gardens at Rakusuien, Yusentei and Ohori Park, plus the views from Fukuoka Tower and the Minami Koen Tenbodai are excellent. Nokonoshima has a nice relaxing hike and island park garden that's great too.
http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-j4RLa6iC7ayvBAbOn8-0...

Himeji would be an excellent choice as well to see Japan's best castle, and don't miss the Kokoen Garden next to it. I'd also say you can largely skip Osaka - but take a day and overnight and go see Koyasan. It is one of the deeply spiritual sides of Japan and once you will find unforgettable.

One thing to consider...(I assume your flights are already booked and you have to fly into Tokyo)...why not fly straight to Kagoshima or Fukuoka (via Tokyo)?

If you want to go to Kyushu, you "waste" a lot of time going there AND back.

Internal flights can be cheap, and are very quick. The main disadvantage of taking a flight is that it takes time to get to the airport and you have to be there a little in advance of your flight time (so, a 1 hr flight can actually involve a 1 hr journey to the airport, 30 mins checking in and doing security, and then another 30-60 mins hanging around waiting to board and take off, then 60 mins flight time. Making it 3.5 hrs from hotel to touchdown). However, if you're already flying into Tokyo, you can cut out half of that time by getting straight onto a plane to Kyushu.

You can then do your whole trip as a (wiggly) straight line, working your way back to Tokyo before you fly out.

Ken, many thanks for your incredibly helpful and thoughtful suggestions (and videos!). The places you recommend look amazing and I plan on seeing them along the way.

Winter Visitor, great idea---thank you! I am going to look into flights and see if this fits. But if it doesn't I am excited to hop aboard the shinkansen!

You don't actually have to go all the way to Kyushu just for alcohol and pork. Other parts of Japan has them too.
As Kanazawa is somewhat between Kyoto and Tokyo, it is not far off to get there. Though I agree that you should give the city at the bare minimum two days.
Not sure about the onsens in Kyoto. the Ryokans are surely suberb but Kyoto isn't known for its onsen. Arima onsen is nearby though. Plus one can never have enough hot dips. (one = jh)

I would like to upvote ken's comment for the clarity and the use of the English language. Don't exactly agree 100% with what was said, but the use of the language was just great.